16 tracks. Running time 55:09 Evan Bartholomew is better known as a producer and DJ under the name Bluetech. His release Borderlands is one of the more intriguing albums to have come my way in recent times. It's an eclectic combination of neo-classical and ambient sensibilities that against expectations works well. The album is structured as eight pairs of tracks each exploring a different theme between one thing an another. It's about aspects of life from birth to death and beyond. A gentle pitter-patter of notes begins “birth: between becoming” then cello-ish refrains briefly push across the soundfield and are echoed by synths. Short bursts of something like a mouth recorder and a build up of the other sounds give the impression of something trying to break out of its pre-birth environment. Small then expansive cello, flutey, and other string sounds in “birth: and being” suggest a new life taking its first breaths and view of the world. Duality in the thematic structure is reflected in the musical structure. In “dream: between idea” delicate atmospheric tinkles ripple here and there over soughing pads. Then in “dream: and emotion” clouded electronic sounds slowly flicker across the soundscape in soupy refrains. In under an hour of music we experience many styles and sonic flavourings. For a few minutes it can be neo-classical or ambient then soon after, such as in the track “medicine: initiation”, there's an air of Eastern exoticism and mysticism with a deep humming drone and thrumming plucked strings. Borderlands is one of those works which leaves mixed first impressions. The raft of short tracks each being sonically and emotionally different makes it feel like walking into an antique shop and trying to take in all the different objects on show. Give the album time though and you may well come to savour it.